I own two of them, and they are only 250 watts of power to have them street legal without insurance. They are really fun, I converted lights to Led, made a more advanced dash, and it just keeps working.
Fun fact: Rather than being “left in fields in Wales”, when Sinclair Vehicles went under, the remaining 12000 cars were sold to a company that sold all of them at double the original retail price! This was due to them marketing it more as an expensive toy rather than a serious mode of transport! I used to own a C5 and they’re tonnes of fun for what they are. Great video Jason.
It was not fact that the motor was of poor design, the laws in the UK at the time said that was the maximum power an electric vehicle could have without requiring registration, which made them waaaay cheaper to own.
I drove one for a year to school in the nineties. The accessories catalogue seems to be thought up by Monty Python. Check out de rain solution! Unfortunately it was illegal to drive with the electric assistance in Holland, but i had good times peddling it! Now it sits in the garage with hard to get flat tyres. So if someone knows where to get a new set?
Only because i was not old enough. At 16 you could drive it electric on your wooden shoes while smoking dope to the red light district, but only if you are a tourist!
Crazy Canadian here who owns 2 out of the (probably) 3 of these things in Canada. Great video. Can't argue with any of this. "Driving an Atari" really cracked me up. Nice job!
mini radio, flatscreen tv, electronic watch, pocket calculator, notepad computer, sinclair spectrum, sinclair ql, precursor to memory stick, electric bike, c5. so what did steve jobs invent?
Dave from EEVblog rode around Australia's streets with a friend in one of these. If you wanna know how it works they also do a little breakdown of it too.
This would fit exceptionally in Denmark, where there are safe, often separated and wide bicycle lanes (where you are also allowed to ride small scooters and mopeds). Except the rain. Rain would ruin the fun
I saw one of these utterly creamed by a Routemaster bus back in the latish 80's, driver was badly injured and the driver said he never even felt it let alone saw it, the C5 was totally flat too being rollered by the bus's rear twin wheel set. I love three wheels (I own a Reliant) and I love quirk but this was just too much. Sir Clive's son was making an ultimate electric pushbike a while back and the poor chap had to endure the stigma from the C5 lol
It has a lot or problems but a very large community dedicated to them even 3D printing replacement parts and such. I would love to have one as the bike roads here are pretty good and flat.
I can just Imagine these being sold today, but Instead of being marketed as an “economy vehicle” it’s in toy stores and super stores like target being sold to kids.
The biggst failure was the marketing. A fun easy substitute to the bicycle, not the future of transportation as you didn't need a car license to drive it. And it was the world's best selling EV for 25 years, until the Nissan Leaf.
Terrible for road use, but I can see it being used in large facilities such as airports or college campuses. Sort of like a small, one seater golf cart.
The biggest reason they were unsuccessful back then is that they were too futuristic for that time they were ahead of there time and now there superseded like the triumph TR7
If they'd used that as a sales gimmick they'd have sold lots more. Possibly with outlets in branches of Anne Summers (an UK chain selling adult lingerie and toy shop).
Weirdly, this hevicle has the looks of something from Robocop. Its serious angle on the front makes it look to deflect air pretty good, its front wheel has only the rubber that spins, the rest is stationary, cool wheel design. The grey half og the main hull/bodywork with the vertical dimples in it makes it a cool 1980's Sci-Fi-Future Robocop design. Nice thinking, Sinclair. The rear end has this full-width tail light unit which adds futurism to the C5's apearace. The handlebar location is very questionable as is the fact it has bicycle pedals under the drivers feet instead of...nah...a footwell... Ehe engine is has a weird horsepower setting, 0.34 HP! That's less than 1 HP! And it is an electric motor, not really an engine...lol. An awesome-shaped vehicle with weird controls placement and electric drive, though it isn't very powerful. :)
Actually... I could see these things marketable to urban tour group companies, the same ones who currently use Segways. The view ain't as good, but nobody can fall over.
With a little changes, this would be a really nice little electric supported bike. But, this design is in some way the time ahead, but also just too much. Especially the handles.
Reverse the format, putting two wheels up front, one in the back. Electric hub motors up front with modern batteries and electric brushless motor, boom! Much better vehicle!
To be honest if they made those today I'll bet they'll fly out of the showroom. It's a trend that's ahead of its time really. And besides all successes had failures. Had Sinclair kept at it...he would have developed a much better and more fun lite electric vehicle.
The reason for RUclips. Right here.
Totally!
This guy is hilarious! Great "vehicle" selections too!
I own two of them, and they are only 250 watts of power to have them street legal without insurance. They are really fun, I converted lights to Led, made a more advanced dash, and it just keeps working.
Fun fact: Rather than being “left in fields in Wales”, when Sinclair Vehicles went under, the remaining 12000 cars were sold to a company that sold all of them at double the original retail price! This was due to them marketing it more as an expensive toy rather than a serious mode of transport!
I used to own a C5 and they’re tonnes of fun for what they are.
Great video Jason.
You could probably vastly improve the power and range of a C5 today by substituting a modern motor and battery
gotham61 and reduce the weight too.
Which is today's electric recumbent trikes.
There's still the problem of the really weird handlebar position. Dunno if that's comfortable for long periods of time.
It was not fact that the motor was of poor design, the laws in the UK at the time said that was the maximum power an electric vehicle could have without requiring registration, which made them waaaay cheaper to own.
Oh God imagine a 30 GPS C5.
lotus engineers definitely bashed out that chassis design at 4:45pm on a friday 'ah fuck it, just make it a Y shape'
Was it not the toilet paper brand named Lotus?
FINALLY! This show was the only reason I subscribed.
This has literally less power than my electric longboard
30 years will do that, imagine how fast you could make one of these now if you fill it with batteries and a good motor or two
My uncle had one and we used to take it round the block as kids. Was just a cool ride on toy to us.
The thought of driving on a public road with a vehicle with that small a front wheel is the most terrifying part by far.
Best Jalopnik show! So glad to have this back.
It took you too long to have a new season of jason drives.
Only reason I'm subscribed to this channel is because of this series. So glad it's back
Yaaay, it's back! I have a penchant for discovering things on youtube just before they die.. glad I got to see this one undie :p
I saw that ambulance at the beginning and I was like, "WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT THING?!" 😂
Another hilarious ride!
Thanks Jalopnik and Jason!
This is like an adult version of a Green Machine
Please review that amazin TATRA 613 REAR-ENGINED AIR COOLED V8 AMBULANCE as well!!!
František Konvalinka That's the only thing I was skimming through the comments for. Glad I reached the right conclusion about what I was looking at!
I drove one for a year to school in the nineties. The accessories catalogue seems to be thought up by Monty Python. Check out de rain solution! Unfortunately it was illegal to drive with the electric assistance in Holland, but i had good times peddling it! Now it sits in the garage with hard to get flat tyres. So if someone knows where to get a new set?
djweetos Illegal to drive under electric assistance? Wow. That's incredibly dumb! I thought just about everything was legal in Holland.
Front are 12" rears are 16", You can replace the tubes
Only because i was not old enough. At 16 you could drive it electric on your wooden shoes while smoking dope to the red light district, but only if you are a tourist!
Yes, I restored one of these a couple of years ago. Lots of parts available, including new Schwalbe tyres here: c5alive.co.uk/
Thanks!
Them: check out Britain's biggest motoring failure!
Me: be more specific pls
Oi most of our cars and bikes are fine, some of them great! Juuuust stay away from any with three wheels haha
Cough! cough! Reliant Robin cough!
You know you're an old fart when you still remember the command lines on that Basic - S Sinclair
10 go to ;p
Crazy Canadian here who owns 2 out of the (probably) 3 of these things in Canada. Great video. Can't argue with any of this. "Driving an Atari" really cracked me up. Nice job!
I would let my Son drive this car
My 5 years old son
but not on the road
JDM A'F ???
Jason, will you be driving this magnificent rear-engined Tatra 700 series ambulance? Please do!
The only reason we watch Jalopnik
It looks cool though. Look at that futuristic aerodynamic design.
GrijzePilion With free decapitation attachment.
mini radio, flatscreen tv, electronic watch, pocket calculator, notepad computer, sinclair spectrum, sinclair ql, precursor to memory stick, electric bike, c5. so what did steve jobs invent?
Nothing, Steve was just a sales man. Sir Clive is another level.
There was one in the hallway of Craft and Design getting restored back in my High school a few years ago
As close as you will get to driving an Atari. Haha
Dave from EEVblog rode around Australia's streets with a friend in one of these. If you wanna know how it works they also do a little breakdown of it too.
I have 4 great things... we use them for shopping and local run outs.. but you say no one wants one... you try buying one!!
I feel like if this was released in the 2020s instead of the 1980s it would be extremely popular.
I love the style. I would totally buy one of the unsold ones
This would fit exceptionally in Denmark, where there are safe, often separated and wide bicycle lanes (where you are also allowed to ride small scooters and mopeds). Except the rain. Rain would ruin the fun
I remember when Denmark had their own little three-wheeler in the 1980s called the City El en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CityEl
"Ghost Pepper Pacifier". Great band name.
I saw one of these utterly creamed by a Routemaster bus back in the latish 80's, driver was badly injured and the driver said he never even felt it let alone saw it, the C5 was totally flat too being rollered by the bus's rear twin wheel set. I love three wheels (I own a Reliant) and I love quirk but this was just too much. Sir Clive's son was making an ultimate electric pushbike a while back and the poor chap had to endure the stigma from the C5 lol
I saw some of those on the coast In Rhode Island…. Oh and around Embarcadero in San Francisco…
Jason could you test one of those wing suits with the jet pack, and wear those crazy goggles that you wear.
I've wanted to see one driven since Fifth Gear mentioned them in passing decades ago.
How much did one cost new at the time?
I can see these taking over the Wal-Mart motorized carts.
looks like a flattened mobility scooter...
Screw Sinclair. Review that Tatra, dude.
What is that opening song called?
It has a lot or problems but a very large community dedicated to them even 3D printing replacement parts and such.
I would love to have one as the bike roads here are pretty good and flat.
It looks kinda cool for when it was released
"Ghost Pepper Pacifier" might be the name of my next band. Hahahaha!
What the heck are the vehicles in the background @2:30 and 3:38
It's LARC-LX Amphibious Landing Vehicle.
thank you
I wouldn't mind having 1. I remember when they were for sale.
Saw them in a catalog for think $2,000 U.S.
I can just Imagine these being sold today, but Instead of being marketed as an “economy vehicle” it’s in toy stores and super stores like target being sold to kids.
That actually looks pretty kool. If it was remade today it would definitely sell much more than 5k!
I bet that thing would be kinda fun with a 2 stroke pit bike engine in it or something like that. And relocated handlebars...
We don't have automotive failures we have automotive fun times.
Oh shit. I just picked up a bunch of ZX spectrums, 80s and an 81 from a garage sale.
sooo what happens if we put in a tesla motor and a few tesla battery cells? do you became an human torpedo ready to sink SUVs?
I have 2 C5s and I have to say they are brilliant
I think I saw its debut on Back to the Future 😂
if I had one I'd do some improvements
Like better batteries & motor for one
one lunatic fitted one with a jet engine. got it up to 150 miles an hour.
It is more like an open top velomobile or velopede with electric pedal assist
Jonathan Cuny yup he invented the pedal assist trike.
anyone else want someone to take a C5 and update it with modern tech. (lithium ion battery, modern high power electric motor ect...)
No. Because whatever tech you put in it, it's still too low off the ground.
tbh this is so cool!
question.... why is there an old Slovak ambulance at the start of the video?
The biggst failure was the marketing. A fun easy substitute to the bicycle, not the future of transportation as you didn't need a car license to drive it. And it was the world's best selling EV for 25 years, until the Nissan Leaf.
You got real cameras, with real mounts! No more propping up your smartphone with a canned ham.
Terrible for road use, but I can see it being used in large facilities such as airports or college campuses. Sort of like a small, one seater golf cart.
The biggest reason they were unsuccessful back then is that they were too futuristic for that time they were ahead of there time and now there superseded like the triumph TR7
Does the motor or seeming lack of suspension transmit any pleasant vibration through the genital pad? That could have been it's intended purpose
Da G well, I did notice Jason was kinda smiling a lot lol
If they'd used that as a sales gimmick they'd have sold lots more. Possibly with outlets in branches of Anne Summers (an UK chain selling adult lingerie and toy shop).
Weirdly, this hevicle has the looks of something from Robocop. Its serious angle on the front makes it look to deflect air pretty good, its front wheel has only the rubber that spins, the rest is stationary, cool wheel design. The grey half og the main hull/bodywork with the vertical dimples in it makes it a cool 1980's Sci-Fi-Future Robocop design. Nice thinking, Sinclair. The rear end has this full-width tail light unit which adds futurism to the C5's apearace. The handlebar location is very questionable as is the fact it has bicycle pedals under the drivers feet instead of...nah...a footwell... Ehe engine is has a weird horsepower setting, 0.34 HP! That's less than 1 HP! And it is an electric motor, not really an engine...lol. An awesome-shaped vehicle with weird controls placement and electric drive, though it isn't very powerful. :)
I don't think the Tatra ambulance will save you after you get decapitated by the windshield thingy...
How about that Tatra 613 ambulance?
Swap the motor out for something with some more horse power, and replace the lead acid battery with some Li-Po cells. That could be scary.
Why would they have 11k unsold units instead of cutting the price by 1/3 and selling them for zero profit, but at least get the cost back?
I’ve wanted one since I first saw them.
I-is that a Moskvich ambulance van?..
Aha! So THAT'S what Chris Elliott was driving on Late Night with David Letterman!
an early Countach looks less sketchy to drive
Add full suspension, thicker tires, and Lithium batteries this will be killing it.
As the ZX was not a real computer, the C5 was not a real vehicle either.
Actually... I could see these things marketable to urban tour group companies, the same ones who currently use Segways. The view ain't as good, but nobody can fall over.
With a little changes, this would be a really nice little electric supported bike. But, this design is in some way the time ahead, but also just too much. Especially the handles.
Looks like a miniature Thoroughbred Stallion Trike
Looks like a power wheels
Looks like a computer mouse
Queen D Music ok. Now that was funny. Lol
Hoover made the body, for a even more naff C5 it'll cost around £400 for a non starter and in half
It is 34 years old and at the time there was nothing like it.
Chassis is steel, not aluminium.
Reverse the format, putting two wheels up front, one in the back. Electric hub motors up front with modern batteries and electric brushless motor, boom! Much better vehicle!
It's a calorie-electric hybrid!
What the hell was he thinking,clive that is
That would reliant robin
Chain tension fell off lol.
Want list!
good job whats next
Wow. That thing is cool. It looks like something out of tron or Robocop. Too bad its powered by a blender motor.
driving an atari? now that's funny!
Haha what a joke! Did he use to make children's toys?
To be honest if they made those today I'll bet they'll fly out of the showroom. It's a trend that's ahead of its time really. And besides all successes had failures. Had Sinclair kept at it...he would have developed a much better and more fun lite electric vehicle.
I want to drive this
Mate, drop a Yanmar 60cc on that thing
The Morris Marina was the biggest turd in British car history.
A person has more horsepower than that. Lol.